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Peace and Human Rights in the Nuclear Age (The PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE NUCLEAR AGE (THE ENCYCLICAL AND THE SPEECH OF 1963) Thesis Submitted to The College of Arts and Sciences of the UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Degree of Master of Arts in Theological Studies By Roger William Howell Dayton, Ohio May 2012 PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE NUCLEAR AGE (THE ENCYCLICAL AND THE SPEECH OF 1963) Name: Howell, Roger, W. APPROVED BY: ___________________________ Sandra A.Yocum, Ph.D. Faculty Advisor ___________________________ Dennis M. Doyle, Ph.D. Faculty Reader ___________________________ William L. Portier, Ph.D. Faculty Reader ii ©Copyright by Roger William Howell All rights reserved 2012 iii ABSTRACT PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE NUCLEAR AGE (THE ENCYCLICAL AND THE SPEECH OF 1963) Name: Howell, Roger William University of Dayton Advisor: Dr. Sandra A. Yocum This thesis examines Pope John XXIII’s encyclical Pacem in Terris and President John F. Kennedy’s Commencement Address at American University. Both documents were produced in the spring of 1963 by two leaders who would leave the world stage that same year. This thesis examines these documents in the light of their historical setting and what they mean to humanity in the 21st century. Pacem in Terris and the Commencement Address at American University are two documents that provide perspective that resonates with the present, and provides a reminder of how elusive peace is today. Pacem in Terris is the cornerstone for Catholic social justice on peace and human rights. President Kennedy’s Commencement Address at American University, but for a few phrases, is largely forgotten. The nuclear age, gave urgency to Pope John XIII to make cooperation a priority among nations with the publication of Pacem in Terris. The significance of my research is to show that it is possible to commit to a vision that will lead to a peace that is solid yet flexible, to meet the challenges before humanity. iv Dedicated to my parents Joseph and Nan, my wife Kathryn and my son William v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My very special thanks are in order to Dr. Sandra Yocum, my advisor, for providing the time and patience for directing this thesis and bringing it to its conclusion. I would also like to express my appreciation to my wife Kathryn for proofreading, and my son William who patiently shared computer time. I would like to thank my parents Joseph and Nan Howell for paying the tuition that put me through six years of Catholic education at St. James of the Valley School and Roger Bacon High School. My appreciation also goes to my readers Dr. William Portier and Dr. Dennis Doyle. Thank you for your time and patience as I completed this work. I thank Annette Mitchell and Mara Gray and Amy Doorley for their assistance all along the way. Also a debt of gratitude to Dr. David O’Brien for inspiring me to never lose sight of the message of nonviolence that is critical to building peace today. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iv DEDICATION .....................................................................................................................v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. vi I: TWO DOCUMENTS ......................................................................................................1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 The Documents ........................................................................................................9 Strategy for Peace .................................................................................................11 Leaders of Peace: Pope John XXIII and President John F. Kennedy ....................17 President Kennedy Responds to Civil Rights ........................................................25 President Kennedy’s Statements on His Faith .......................................................28 II: PACEM IN TERRIS DEFINES PEACE IN THE NUCLEAR AGE ..........................35 Introduction ............................................................................................................35 The Text of Pacem in Terris ..................................................................................37 Part One: Order between Men ..............................................................................43 Part Two: Relations between Individuals and the Public Authorities ..................49 Part Three: Relations between States ....................................................................54 Part Four: Relationship of Men and of Political Communities with the World Community………………………………………………………………………66 Part Five: Pastoral Exhortations ............................................................................73 Pacem in Terris and the World .............................................................................83 Nuclear Weapons and Human Rights ....................................................................85 Conclusion .............................................................................................................89 vii III: PRESIDENT KENNEDY’S COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY ............................................................................................................................. 92 Introduction ............................................................................................................92 A Chosen Place .....................................................................................................99 The New Face of War Requires New Attitudes ..................................................100 A New Effort for World Discussions ..................................................................114 IV: THEOLOGIANS AND THE NUCLEAR THREAT ...............................................120 Introduction ..........................................................................................................120 Thomas Merton: A Catholic Witness and The Post-Cold War World ...............125 American Leadership and Nuclear Weapons ......................................................131 The Twenty-First Century and the Relevance of Pacem in Terris and the Commencement Address at American University ...............................................137 Conclusion—Impact of the Encyclical and the Commencement Address .........141 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...........................................................................................................147 APPENDICES A. PACEM IN TERRIS ENCYCLICAL OF POPE JOHN XXIII ON ESTABLISHING UNIVERSAL PEACE IN TRUTH, JUSTICE, CHARITY, AND LIBERTY APRIL 11, 1963 ........................................................................ 153 B. COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY ..............210 C. TELEVISION AND RADIO ADDRESS ON CIVIL RIGHTS .....................224 CHAPTER I TWO DOCUMENTS Introduction The year 1963 was a pivotal time for the advancement of peace. Proliferation of nuclear weapons without arms control rendered other critical issues such as human rights meaningless. The matter was so grave that it transcended church and state boundaries. Pacem in Terris and the Commencement Address at American University are two documents that provided a strategic vision for securing peace in the nuclear age. In the aftermath of the first truly global war, these statements also provide a foundation for protecting human rights. Pacem in Terris and the Commencement Address at American University are unique as a papal encyclical and presidential speech because they define peace from ecclesial and secular positions at a critical point in history. In the eighteen years following the end of World War II, no agreements were concluded for managing nuclear weapons. Humanity in the nuclear age could not pursue an arms race to be followed by war, as was the case prior to 1945. It was not until July 1, 1958, after years of proposals, that a conference was held to address the issue of a nuclear test ban. Later that year, in October 1958, negotiations began in earnest, coupled with a moratorium on all U.S. testing of nuclear weapons that lasted until September 15, 1961. 1 These were the first steps toward some control over nuclear weapons between nations.1 In mid-1963 Pope John XXIII and President John F. Kennedy chose to influence the course of history to build on the tenuous peace of the Cold War. Accommodating nuclear weapons carried with it significant concerns. Among these concerns is the idea that humanity can use nuclear weapons in a limited manner. In the early years of the nuclear age this idea was part of some strategic thinking. Nuclear weapons might always be a part of our reality, but the longer we live in their shadow the harder we must work against the idea that a nation must have them. The work towards peace becomes more complicated as Christian values compete with non- Christian values that dominate in modern society. A post-Christian world, where Christian values no longer dominate, makes the task of securing peace ever more difficult. 2 In both cases, the threat posed by the use of nuclear weapons cannot be understated. Prior to the formation of the Soviet Union, America and Russia had a history of common values; both had a history of Christianity in their respective culture. A world of competing values may open the door to nuclear war
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